In plain words
To these Caṇḍa and Amarka, all these teachings looked like great teachings. But they went on teaching artha and kāma in many ways.
At one time Hiraṇyakaśipu ordered that Prahlāda be brought to him. He tried in many ways to find out how far he had studied and what change he had undergone. Caṇḍa and Amarka taught him hard in many ways: “You must answer well what your father asks. You must not remember Hari. You must not so much as mention the name of God. You must say only that God means Hiraṇyakaśipu. If he asks who is the lord of this world, you must point to Hiraṇyakaśipu.” They kept on teaching such things right up to the moment they came near. But Prahlāda was no ordinary boy. He was not one to listen, the moment he went out, to the teachings that wicked men teach. Though he was little, Prahlāda had a great heart. Because he had so noble a mind, he gave no room to such dull-witted thinking. Hiraṇyakaśipu called him. He called him close, sat him on his lap and questioned him in many ways. “My boy, tell me some one thing from the studies you have studied,” he said.
My teachers have made me study; I have studied the chief śāstras of Dharma and artha; many are the things I have studied; the whole secret within all learning I have learnt, Father!
He did not speak of Mokṣa. For this is indeed Satya. What the teachers taught was just that: Dharma, artha and kāma alone. They said that to enjoy everything is Dharma. To win artha through this Dharma, and to enjoy that artha so won in kāma. “Tell me something as a śloka,” he said. He closed his eyes gently.
The hands that worship the Lotus-eyed are hands indeed; the tongue that praises Śrī's Lord is a tongue indeed; the eyes that look on the Protector of the gods are eyes indeed; the head that bows to Him who lies on Śeṣa is a head indeed; the ears that listen to Viṣṇu are ears indeed; the mind that clings to the Foe of Madhu is a mind indeed; the feet that walk around the Lord are feet indeed; the Buddhi set on the Supreme Person is Buddhi indeed; the day spent thinking of the God of gods is a day indeed; the learning that proclaims the Bearer of the discus is learning indeed; the guru who tells of the Lord of the earth is a guru indeed; the father who says, “Reach Hari,” is a father indeed, Father.